Transportation
Development
BY AUBREY VOGEL
BY SHAHERYAR KHAN
Sugar Land to improve walkability with $19M trails project
Final phase of University Commons wraps up 8 years after breaking ground
construction in July 2025. The third trail will connect Cullinan Park to Gannoway Lake off Burney Road by creating a pedestrian path under Hwy. 6. Construction will finish on this one and Phase 2 of the Sugar Land Trail in July 2026, Beaman said. Why it matters The trails project is a part of the city’s larger Mobility Master Plan adopted in July 2023, which aims to keep the city safe and connected while being inclusive and promoting an active lifestyle, Beaman said. “A lot of people just think about cars, but not everybody drives, so you have to give people other options to be equitable about transportation,” Bea- man said. “[We are] working on providing alterna- tives to the personal automobile, which alleviates traffic congestion and helps the environment ... while getting people where they need to go.”
Sugar Land residents will soon be able to better navigate the city on foot after construction of three trails connecting the city is completed. How it happened Working toward making Sugar Land a more walkable and bikeable place, the city of Sugar Land received a $19.36 million grant from the Hous- ton-Galveston Area Council in December, which will provide funds to create three 10-foot-wide concrete trails throughout the city, said Melanie Beaman, Sugar Land transportation and mobility manager. The details The three trails will connect the city both north to south and east to west, Beaman said. The city could begin construction in July. Broken into two phases, the Sugar Land Trail will travel from Matlage Way, under Hwy. 59 then down Lexington Boulevard to Austin Parkway. The first phase is under design and will finish
1
2
OLD RICHMOND RD.
GANNOWAY LAKE
Blvd., south of Phase 1, has some new additions, including: • A retail building with new tenants expected to move in soon • Chair King, which relocated from Stafford and held its grand opening Jan. 24 Trader Joe’s is the newest business announced for the development, replacing the former Sprouts Farmers Market in Phase 2, a Trader Joe’s spokes- person confirmed. Quote of note “The three projects bring much-needed shops and restaurants to the local area,” Garnett said. “The centers are good for the city’s tax base, as well as providing jobs for the community.”
The final phase of University Commons in Sugar Land finished construction in January, signaling a rise in the city’s retail landscape, with new tenants slated to open this year. Construction commenced in 2016 on the com- mercial development along University Boulevard, said Dana Garnett, senior vice president of devel- opment at Vista Equity Group, the developer. The first phase, on the southeast corner of University Boulevard and Telfair Avenue, was completed that same year. The second phase on the southwest corner of the intersection reached completion in 2018, followed by the third phase in early February, Garnett said. The update The third phase—located at 13521 University
BURNEY RD.
3
69
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UNIVERSITY BLVD.
6
CULLINAN PARK
90
New businesses opening 1 Phase 1 • Brooklyn Pizzeria in early summer • Marble Slab Creamery and Great American Cookie Company in mid-summer 2 Phase 2 • Yogurtland in April • Bell Salon in early summer • Trader Joe’s this year 3 Phase 3 • Veterinary Emergency Group in mid-May • Wallis Bank this fall
1 Gannoway Lake trail Status: not started Cost: $3.82 million Sugar Land Trail 2A Phase 1 Status: design phase Cost: $9.09 million 3A Phase 2 Status: not started Cost: $6.45 million
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AUSTIN PKWY.
2A 3A
SWEETWATER BLVD.
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SOURCE: CITY OF SUGAR LAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCES: VISTA EQUITY GROUP, TRADER JOE'S/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SUGAR LAND 3335 Hwy 6 S (281) 313-4446 MISSOURI CITY 5418 Hwy 6 (281) 403-0400
SUGAR CREEK 13827 Southwest Fwy (281) 491-8628 SIENNA PLANTATION 9034 Sienna Crossing Dr (281) 778-9959
NEW TERRITORY 5720 New Territory Blvd (281) 491-0811
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